Speculative fiction

Speculative fiction is an umbrella genre of fiction that encompasses all the subgenres that depart from realism, or strictly imitating everyday reality,^[1] instead presenting fantastical, supernatural, futuristic, or other imaginative realms.^[2] This catch-all genre includes, but is not limited to, science fiction, fantasy, horror, slipstream, magical realism,^[3] superhero fiction, alternate history, utopia and dystopia, fairy tales, steampunk, cyberpunk, weird fiction, and some apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction. In other words, it speculates on something supposedly nonexistent within reality.

The term has been used for works of literature, film, television, drama, video games, radio, and their hybrids.^[1] Some authors, such as Margaret Atwood, who prefer the term, seek to more narrowly define the supergenre (i.e., "no Martians" sci-fi).

^ ^a ^b Oziewicz, Marek (2017). "Speculative Fiction". Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Literature. doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780190201098.013.78. ISBN 978-0-19-020109-8. Archived from the original on 18 October 2022. ... a super category for all genres that deliberately depart from imitating "consensus reality" of everyday experience. In this latter sense, speculative fiction includes fantasy, science fiction, and horror, but also their derivatives, hybrids, and cognate genres like the gothic, dystopia, weird fiction, post-apocalyptic fiction, ghost stories, superhero tales, alternate history, steampunk, slipstream, magic realism, fractured fairy tales, and more.
^ "speculative fiction". Dictionary.com Unabridged (Online). n.d. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
^ Henwood, Belinda (2007). Publishing. Career FAQs. ISBN 978-1-921106-43-9. Archived from the original on 5 January 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2022.